Monthly Archives: February 2012

This is a fun little book I made last month. I started with a paste paper that I made last summer and covered davy board with it. I just loved the color of the paste paper and how happy it made me feel. The book ties closed with gold embroidery thread and beads to match the orange of the cover.

On the inside I hand drew the letters on watercolor paper. I used watercolors in colors to match the paste paper covers. Then I embellished the letters with a variety of gold and black pens. I just love how festive it turned out.

I just love the festive colors of the open book

This book is about 2 3/8″ wide and 3″ tall. I just love making tiny books, and I especially enjoy making ones that create memories. I am sure this little book will eventually go to someone very special, create a wonderful memory and make them smile each time they look at it.

A dozen tiny handmade Valentine Boxes made from my handmade paste papers. I think these are much more original than a dozen roses!

A dozen red roses are a common gift for Valentine’s Day. I am not a fan of roses. I much prefer local grown flowers which are not in abundant supply at this time of the year in Oregon. It was below freezing this morning when I got up. Spring may be just around the corner, but the flowers have not come to life quite yet.

I got to thinking about what I could substitute for a dozen roses. With my recent 50 boxes for a 50th Wedding Anniversary (see my previous post), I got to thinking about a dozen tiny boxes for Valentine’s Day and here is the result. I made a large heart out of card stock to put put the boxes on and make them look more festive.

The contents in the photo below are not the ones I will be giving to my sweetheart. I go for more diflucan health options, which these obviously aren’t. These do, however, make for a great looking colorful photo. My sweetie will be getting tiny heart carrot cakes (his favorite, and it doesn’t have sugar or eggs), some other homemade goodies and a few love notes.

Just like the boxes for the 50th Wedding Anniversary, these boxes are tiny, just a little over an inch square. They are made with my handmade paste papers. I make paste papers each summer when the weather is warm so that they can dry quickly. I will include a post or two this summer when I make my yearly supply of paste papers.

In late November I received a call from the daughter of some friends of mine. She told me her parents were celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary on New Years Eve and wanted to know if I would be interested in sending her a card for their anniversary and maybe including 50 of something in honor of their 50 years of marriage. It was to be a surprise. I said sure and started thinking of what I would make.

This photo shows some of the boxes open.

Once I start thinking about making something, the idea of doing something simple seems to fly out the window, and this time was no exception. I decided that 50 tiny boxes made out of some of my hand-made paste papers would fit the bill. So between Christmas gifts, my mother’s birthday and setting up a Holiday Studio for Studio Artists at the Art Center, I made these 50 little boxes with a little help from my friend Paul.

50 boxes with some more of them open.

Once the boxes were made, they begged to be filled. These boxes are just a little over an inch square, so I had to think of what I could put in them. I had some tiny wooden spools that I had rescued from the trash that I made into little scrolls. I also made scrolls out of colorful cellophane topped toothpicks. Twelve M&M’s fit nicely into the boxes which allowed two of each color and was nice and colorful. Hearts seemed appropriate, so I cut out some in a number of colors. I also made some colorful paper flowers.

This shows all of the boxes open.

It was a fun project, the type I really love to do. I love making art that involves memories. That seems to be my specialty.

I loved the result and so did my friends.

Here are the 50 boxes all opened. The boxes are just a little over an inch square.

Made with Japanese Paper, this Lotus Flower looks dainty, but the paper is actually quite heavy.

When I started my blog in January of 2011, it was to chronicle my Lotus Flower Project, making a lotus flower a day for a year. My original idea was to post every week or so and show what I was doing.

Shortly after 2011 started, a loved one was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She passed away in December. The year was a difficult one with many trips to doctors, radiologists and lastly hospice at home. I kept making at least one lotus flower a day throughout the year. It was sometimes the one time of the day that I was relaxed and calm (if I wasn’t relaxed and calm, I tore the lotus flower). I may not have blogged as much as I had hoped, but I kept making my lotus flowers.

This colorful Lotus Flower was made from wrapping paper I had in my paper closet.

For 2012 I am going to just blog about whatever art project touches my fancy, be it mine or someone else’s. For an idea of what I have in the works; photos of what I made for a 50th Anniversary for a couple of friends of mine, Earth Paints that are non toxic that were developed by a friend, my Eco-Holders and more. I will include photos of things that inspire me, and hopefully will inspire you too. I will share links to some of my art and to other artists whose work I admire.

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